Bill Withers
Bill Withers (born July 4, 1938 in Slab Fork, West Virginia, died March 30, 2020 in Los Angeles, California) was an American singer-songwriter who performed and recorded from the late 1960s until the mid 1980s.
Bill's father died when he was thirteen. He joined the US Navy at seventeen, and stayed there for nine years, before he moved to Los Angeles in 1967. While in Los Angeles, he worked full-time in a Lockheed assembly plant in the day, recording demo tapes and performing in juke joints during the night. Read Full BioBill Withers (born July 4, 1938 in Slab Fork, West Virginia, died March 30, 2020 in Los Angeles, California) was an American singer-songwriter who performed and recorded from the late 1960s until the mid 1980s.
Bill's father died when he was thirteen. He joined the US Navy at seventeen, and stayed there for nine years, before he moved to Los Angeles in 1967. While in Los Angeles, he worked full-time in a Lockheed assembly plant in the day, recording demo tapes and performing in juke joints during the night. When he debuted on the music scene with "Ain't No Sunshine," he refused to give up his job at Lockheed because of his belief that the music business was a fickle industry and that he was still a novice compared to other working acts like The Temptations or Sammy Davis, Jr.
His first success was with the company Sussex Records in 1971 with his debut hit single Ain't No Sunshine on the album Just As I Am. He assembled a touring band made up of: drummer James Gadson, guitarist Bernoce Blackmon, keyboardist Ray Jackson, and bassist Melvin Dunlap.
His second album Still Bill also did well on the charts. It was recorded during a break in the "Just As I Am" tour and included the well-known single "Lean on Me," which went to #1 on the charts on July 8, 1972. His live album, "Bill Withers, Live at Carnegie Hall," released in 1973, was one of the best live albums to be released during the 1970s. Other popular songs he sings are "Use Me" and "Lovely Day," as well as "Just the Two of Us," which he performed with jazz saxophonist Grover Washington Jr.
His songs have been covered by many singers and rappers. Club Nouveau's 1986 cover of "Lean on Me," which is now often used in many churches, earned Withers his third Grammy as a songwriter. Ten years earlier, the British glam rock band Mud took the song to No. 7 in the UK pop charts. Grace Jones covered his song "Use Me." Fiona Apple has also covered "Use Me" and "Kissing My Love" on her 1998 tour. Me'Shell Ndegeocello sang "Who Is He (And What Is He to You)?" on her 1996 album "Peace Beyond Passion." Will Smith samples Bill's "Just the Two of Us" in his 1997 song of the same name, and "Lovely Day" with the song "Lovely Daze," (a collaboration with DJ Jazzy Jeff released in 1998).
The Country singer Kenny Rogers covered "Ain't No Sunshine" in 1999. Kanye West sampled his song "Rosie" in the song Roses". Twista sampled "Lovely Day" in the hit single "Sunshine" featuring Anthony Hamilton. Over the Rhine toured a cover of Ain't No Sunshine" during 2004 and recorded this on their album "Changes Come." When playing live, the band Eskimo Joe often begins their song "A Song is a City" with Kav singing "Ain't No Sunshine" as a prelude. Bill's song "Use Me" is also featured in the film "Anchorman." The start of the Blackstreet hit "No Diggity" features a sample of Bill's poem-turned-song "Grandma's Hands."
To this day, his most popular songs, including "Lovely Day," "Lean On Me" and "Ain't No Sunshine," have been used in countless television advertisements, thereby increasing his popularity as a well-respected artist. He remains one of the most significant and respected singer-songwriters of the 20th Century. Some of his songs, particularly "Lean On Me" and "Use Me", have been performed in churches because of their lyrics covering spirituality and unity.
Withers died in Los Angeles on March 30, 2020, from heart complications.
Bill's father died when he was thirteen. He joined the US Navy at seventeen, and stayed there for nine years, before he moved to Los Angeles in 1967. While in Los Angeles, he worked full-time in a Lockheed assembly plant in the day, recording demo tapes and performing in juke joints during the night. Read Full BioBill Withers (born July 4, 1938 in Slab Fork, West Virginia, died March 30, 2020 in Los Angeles, California) was an American singer-songwriter who performed and recorded from the late 1960s until the mid 1980s.
Bill's father died when he was thirteen. He joined the US Navy at seventeen, and stayed there for nine years, before he moved to Los Angeles in 1967. While in Los Angeles, he worked full-time in a Lockheed assembly plant in the day, recording demo tapes and performing in juke joints during the night. When he debuted on the music scene with "Ain't No Sunshine," he refused to give up his job at Lockheed because of his belief that the music business was a fickle industry and that he was still a novice compared to other working acts like The Temptations or Sammy Davis, Jr.
His first success was with the company Sussex Records in 1971 with his debut hit single Ain't No Sunshine on the album Just As I Am. He assembled a touring band made up of: drummer James Gadson, guitarist Bernoce Blackmon, keyboardist Ray Jackson, and bassist Melvin Dunlap.
His second album Still Bill also did well on the charts. It was recorded during a break in the "Just As I Am" tour and included the well-known single "Lean on Me," which went to #1 on the charts on July 8, 1972. His live album, "Bill Withers, Live at Carnegie Hall," released in 1973, was one of the best live albums to be released during the 1970s. Other popular songs he sings are "Use Me" and "Lovely Day," as well as "Just the Two of Us," which he performed with jazz saxophonist Grover Washington Jr.
His songs have been covered by many singers and rappers. Club Nouveau's 1986 cover of "Lean on Me," which is now often used in many churches, earned Withers his third Grammy as a songwriter. Ten years earlier, the British glam rock band Mud took the song to No. 7 in the UK pop charts. Grace Jones covered his song "Use Me." Fiona Apple has also covered "Use Me" and "Kissing My Love" on her 1998 tour. Me'Shell Ndegeocello sang "Who Is He (And What Is He to You)?" on her 1996 album "Peace Beyond Passion." Will Smith samples Bill's "Just the Two of Us" in his 1997 song of the same name, and "Lovely Day" with the song "Lovely Daze," (a collaboration with DJ Jazzy Jeff released in 1998).
The Country singer Kenny Rogers covered "Ain't No Sunshine" in 1999. Kanye West sampled his song "Rosie" in the song Roses". Twista sampled "Lovely Day" in the hit single "Sunshine" featuring Anthony Hamilton. Over the Rhine toured a cover of Ain't No Sunshine" during 2004 and recorded this on their album "Changes Come." When playing live, the band Eskimo Joe often begins their song "A Song is a City" with Kav singing "Ain't No Sunshine" as a prelude. Bill's song "Use Me" is also featured in the film "Anchorman." The start of the Blackstreet hit "No Diggity" features a sample of Bill's poem-turned-song "Grandma's Hands."
To this day, his most popular songs, including "Lovely Day," "Lean On Me" and "Ain't No Sunshine," have been used in countless television advertisements, thereby increasing his popularity as a well-respected artist. He remains one of the most significant and respected singer-songwriters of the 20th Century. Some of his songs, particularly "Lean On Me" and "Use Me", have been performed in churches because of their lyrics covering spirituality and unity.
Withers died in Los Angeles on March 30, 2020, from heart complications.
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Ain't No Sunshine
Bill Withers Lyrics
Ain't no sunshine when she's gone
It's not warm when she's away
Ain't no sunshine when she's gone
And she's always gone too long
Anytime she goes away
Wonder this time where she's gone
Wonder if she's gone to stay
Ain't no sunshine when she's gone
And this house just ain't no home
Anytime she goes away
And I know, I know, I know, I know
I know, I know, I know, I know, I know
I know, I know, I know, I know, I know
I know, I know, I know, I know, I know
I know, I know, I know, I know, I know
I know, I know
Hey, I oughta leave young thing alone
But ain't no sunshine when she's gone
Ain't no sunshine when she's gone
Only darkness every day
Ain't no sunshine when she's gone
And this house just ain't no home
Anytime she goes away
Anytime she goes away
Anytime she goes away
Anytime she goes away
Lyrics Ā© Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Bill Withers
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on specific lyrics, highlight them
Beemovies Dgo
Ain't no sunshine when she's gone
It's not warm when she's away
Ain't no sunshine when she's gone
And she's always gone too long anytime she goes away
[Verse 2]
Wonder this time where she's gone
Wonder if she's gone to stay
Ain't no sunshine when she's gone
And this house just ain't no home anytime she goes away
[Verse 3]
And I know, I know, I know, I know
I know, I know, I know, I know
I know, I know, I know, I know
I know, I know, I know, I know
I know, I know, I know, I know
I know, I know, I know, I know
I know, I know
Hey, I ought to leave the young thing alone
But ain't no sunshine when she's gone
[Verse 4]
Ain't no sunshine when she's gone
Only darkness every day
Ain't no sunshine when she's gone
And this house just ain't no home anytime she goes away
[Outro]
Anytime she goes away
Anytime she goes away
Anytime she goes away
M D
Ain't no sunshine when she's gone
It's not warm when she's away
Ain't no sunshine when she's gone
And she's always gone too long anytime she goes away
[Verse 2]
Wonder this time where she's gone
Wonder if she's gone to stay
Ain't no sunshine when she's gone
And this house just ain't no home anytime she goes away
[Verse 3]
And I know, I know, I know, I know
I know, I know, I know, I know
I know, I know, I know, I know
I know, I know, I know, I know
I know, I know, I know, I know
I know, I know, I know, I know
I know, I know
Hey, I ought to leave the young thing alone
But ain't no sunshine when she's gone
[Verse 4]
Ain't no sunshine when she's gone
Only darkness every day
Ain't no sunshine when she's gone
And this house just ain't no home anytime she goes away
[Outro]
Anytime she goes away
Anytime she goes away
Anytime she goes away
redcomic619
Dear Mr. Withers,
It rained the day you died.
āYour fans.
esther !!
this is so sad and sweet at the same time :(
crenn05
I started listening to Bill Withers about two days after he passed and now I feel that I've missed out on a great man.
1982PANIKO
this is the only song artist that had meaning in his songs we all miss him i wish he were here bit we know that he is looking over us and he is in a better place may he Rest In Peace āš»š
1982PANIKO
šššš
Tony
It truly did rain.
Cold and rainy spring morning
Pawnz
Travis Scott : I'm the highest in the room
Drummer: step aside
destructoidx99
travis scott would be mopping the set after their done
Adam Coronado
Hell no you got it twisted homes
Jesua von Nazareth
Forgot your n-word homie